Biden Chose Legacy, Tinubu Chose the Race: A Stumble in Ankara and the 2027 Power Grab -

Last Updated on 18 February 2026

Leadership is a physical and mental contract with 200 million people. On January 27, 2026, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stumbled during a guard of honour in Ankara. The viral clip wasn’t just a “loss of balance”; it was a metaphor for a “Renewed Hope” agenda tripping over its own contradictions.

The Sovereignty Hypocrisy

The irony is devastating. Days after his fall in Türkiye, the administration preached “Health Sovereignty” at the African Union. But sovereignty isn’t a slogan; it’s a functioning clinic.

The reality: the President has spent over 59 days in France for “private visits” since taking office, while the system he leaves behind is on life support.
The brain drain: while Tinubu urges traditional rulers to monitor local primary healthcare, Nigeria’s best doctors are fleeing a system that their own leader bypasses for care in Paris.

The Budget of Betrayal

The 2026 budget reveals where the “Renewed Hope” actually lies. It isn’t with the patients.

2026 Fiscal Reality	The Numbers
Total Appropriation	N58.18 Trillion
Debt Servicing	N15.52 Trillion (Nearly 30% of total spending)
Health Allocation	4.2% (N2.48 Trillion) — A betrayal of the 15% Abuja Pledge.
The Funding Gap	N36 Million released out of N218 Billion health capital (2025).

For every N4 spent, N1 goes to debt. Meanwhile, billions are earmarked for “non-essential supplementation”—perks for the political class, while ordinary Nigerians die in under-equipped wards.

Biden’s Exit vs. Tinubu’s Ego

In 2024, Joe Biden faced a hard truth. He stepped aside, prioritising national stability over incumbency. He proved that knowing when to hand over the baton is the ultimate act of statesmanship.

In Nigeria, a stumble is dismissed as a “metal object” on the floor. There is no accountability, only a re-election machine already humming for 2027. We are repeating the shadows of the Yar’Adua era, governing through proxies and “private visits” while the nation drifts.

A stumble in Ankara is embarrassing, but a health system in collapse is catastrophic. If the President cannot stand on his own two feet, how can the Naira?